The invention relates to a power supply unit for computer systems.
Modern computer systems offer the user extensive configuration options. This results in that the upgrade level of a base system may differ significantly from the maximum upgrade level, particularly with respect to the power required from the power supply. On the other hand, the sets of integrated circuits used in modern computer systems increasingly support so-called xe2x80x9cPower Managementxe2x80x9d functions, functions in which components increasingly switch themselves off and in which components are increasingly being switched off, by an operating system of the computer, when they are not required. The operating system is that point within the system that is informed in detail of the exact configuration upgrade level.
Information about what system components are in the energy saving state is also stored in the operating system.
As a result of the increasing capabilities, on the one hand of saving energy and on the other hand of configuring the computer system, the requirements for the power supply unit are becoming ever greater. The power supply unit must be able to supply small currents, while at the same time, a maximum power level must not be exceeded. Particularly in the case of pulsed power supply units for computer systems, it is necessary to remember, owing to the principle on which they operate, that the current must never be below a minimum value, in order to make it possible to comply with the voltage specifications for the power supply unit. Another factor which makes it harder for the power supply unit to comply with the specifications is that the larger manufacturers of computer systems are always trying to use both the power supply unit and the computer system components, for example the mother board, in widely differing systems.
In order to equip the power supply unit for the requirements it has to satisfy, the dynamic range of those products in which it is intended that the power supply unit will be used have had to be recorded and taken into account in the development phase. However, only typical configurations, so to speak, have been measured in this case, and have then been used to deduce the possible maximum values. Components fitted by a customer himself cannot be taken into account. This has resulted in the power supply being either overloaded or underloaded in some cases.
It is known from Published, European Patent Application EP 0 616 281 A, corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 5,514,946, for battery power supply units to be equipped with storage devices to make it possible for an associated computer system to carry out battery charge management.
However, pulsed power supplies are not subject to the problem of battery charging, but to the problems that were described in the introduction.
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a pulsed power supply unit for computer systems which overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art devices of this general type, by which it is possible either at the same time to ensure that the pulsed power supply unit is not overloaded or underloaded or else, if this is not sufficient, to notify the outside world of an overloading or underloading condition of the pulsed power supply unit, without explicitly having to know all the possible operational situations even in the development phase of the pulsed power supply unit, so that a remedy is feasible in this context, and such a situation exists for only as short a time as possible. In particular, one object of the invention is to specify technical measures by which automatic system configuration at the power supply level is possible in pulsed power supply units.
With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a pulsed power supply configuration for a computer system, including a pulsed power supply unit having at least one data.memory unit for a system control of the computer system. The at least one data memory contains power supply data specific to the pulsed power supply unit and configuration data for automatic system reconfiguration of available power to the computer system in dependence on power supply requirements.
In accordance with an added feature of the invention, the at least one data memory unit is a plurality of nonvolatile semiconductor memories.
In accordance with a concomitant feature of the invention, the pulsed power supply unit has components containing measured current values defining a load on the pulsed power supply unit. The pulsed power supply unit transfers the current values and information about available additional functions which is legible to one of the computer system and a user of the computer system.
Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.
Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a pulsed power supply unit for computer systems, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.
The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.